JAUS is pleased to present Marooned, the third installment of our 2013 group exhibitions related to color. The show will feature paintings and sculptural objects by artists Virginia Broersma, Mike F. Connolly, Ronn Davis, Nobuki Mizumoto, Max Presneill, Nathan Redwood. This exhibition attempts to contemplate themes of abandonment and isolation; subject matter which is replete in the history of art and cultural production. Whether involuntary or self-imposed, this condition of being a castaway or fugitive is something artists, writers and composers have often felt and explored in their work since the very beginning. The works selected, in addition, share a common characteristic in their use of a dark red hue, although the iterations of what may be considered “maroon” vary greatly from artist to artist, ranging from reddish brown to a deeper wine colored palette.

The theme is of particular relevance today, because, in spite of the supposed economic upswing America and the world is experiencing (according to mainstream media outlets), there seems to linger a sense of uncertainty among many, and the sense of being abandoned and let down by governments and multinational corporations who have become increasingly married to each other at the expense of the middle class.

On the other hand, this exhibition can also be thought of as a celebration of the artists’ critical thinking and problem solving capabilities, their self reliance and sustenance, and their generative powers in the face of adversity, isolation, and at times despair. In a world managed by MBA’s, web analytic tools, and online surveys, the independent, creative drive and ingenuity of the artist is now, perhaps, needed more than ever. For that, a little isolation and self-exile may be a good thing.